On this day in 2013, a gold coin hoard dating from the 17th and 18th centuries was discovered in Carrick on Suir.
Local workmen David Kiersey, Shane Comerford, Tom Kennedy, Shane Murray and Patrick McGrath were lifting old floorboards while carrying out groundworks on a property on the Main Street in the town when something caught their eye – a line of coins lying in the earth below. Their discovery was quickly cited as ‘one of the most significant of its kind in Ireland.’
In total there are 81 gold coins dating from the reigns of Charles II (1660-1685), James II (1685-1688) William III and Mary II (1688-1694) and William III (1694-1702). There are 77 guinea and four half-guinea coins, with the earliest dating from 1664 and the latest from 1701. Guineas were so-called because some of the gold used to mint them came from Guinea in west Africa. They were minted in four denominations- a half, one, two and five.
The Hoard was collected in the period following the Cromwellian War down to the end of the decade following the Williamite War. Quoted in the Irish Times, Eamon Kelly, who was the Keeper of Irish antiquities at the National Museum at the time, said “it’s probably the wealth of a family amassed over several generations throughout the second half of the 17th century, but you’d wonder why it got buried and when.”
It is not known why the hoard was hidden but it is possible that its wealthy Catholic owner may have considered it necessary to hide his portable assets in response to the imposition of the Penal Laws.
In line with National Monuments legislation, once the hoard was found it was brought to the local garda station before being transferred to Clonmel Garda station. A report of discovery was filed with the National Museum and they carried out an assessment of the site and investigated all aspects of the find.
The coins were brought to the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin. Thankfully for us though, they are now on loan with us here at Tipperary Museum of Hidden History where they are on public display.
Sources:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/pot-of-gold-it-was-a-long-way-to-tipperary-from-the-mint-in-london-1.1253901
https://www.museum.ie/en-ie/collections-research/art-and-industry-collections/art-industry-collections-list/numismatics/airgead-a-thousand-years-of-irish-coins-currency/2013-hoard-of-gold-coins-from-tipperary#:~:text=The%20Carrick%2Don%2DSuir%20Hoard%20probably%20represents%20the%20accumulated%20wealth,decade%20following%20the%20Williamite%20War.
